For those who have always wanted to teach, but may have been nervous or reluctant to leave their current career, you may be interested to learn that there is data suggesting you can find happiness in the switch and that your students could find benefits from you bringing your professional background to the classroom.

With the help of some data from a University of Phoenix online study of over 1,000 K-12 teachers, we’ll shed light on what it takes to make the jump from your current career to a teacher without disrupting your life.

Image: Shutterstock / ESB Professional

More teachers than you think are career changers

First off — you’re not alone. Did you know that one in three teachers came from different careers? In fact, 34 percent of K-12 teachers are career changers, with 36 percent of those coming from a business background. Why the change? One-third (36 percent) say that they had always wanted to pursue a career in teaching, while three in 10 (31 percent) were simply looking for a change of pace.

There are a multitude of benefits to changing careers

Nearly two in three (64 percent) K-12 teachers who have been in the classroom for 10-19 years say “real world” applications are a benefit of having teachers with previous careers in the classroom. For example, a teacher trying to explain the intricacies of business may have an easier time getting through to their students if they can speak from the experience of working in that world.

“The importance career changers make in the classroom cannot be overstated,” says Pamela Roggeman, Ed.D., academic dean for University of Phoenix College of Education.

“In my experience, those who change careers to enter teaching bring rich knowledge and strong skillsets from their previous roles that often enhances the student learning experience.”

Dr. Roggeman believes she and the University have a responsibility to support career changers who make the switch into the classroom and know the benefits of bringing outside people into education.

Potential hills to climb

So, what can career changers potentially expect from jumping into the world of teaching? First of all, nearly three in four (74 percent) K-12 teachers admit that classroom management seems to be a common hurdle for career changers, second to the 53 percent who say the challenge lies in adjusting to a school setting, and the 48 percent who have to work harder to adapt to how children learn.

How does one make the jump?

Remember when you had to do job shadowing in high school? Turns out, there’s something to this practice. Around 2 in 5 teachers say that a formal mentor (43%) — along with networking with existing teachers (37%) — is a great way to find success during the transition.

Others found that enrolling in a mentor program or joining a professional organization was an effective way to prepare for entering the world of education.

Are teachers happy?

Naturally, taking the risk of moving from one career to another has to spark the question: How happy are teachers? The research shows that a majority of teachers are satisfied with the work they do, with an impressive 93 percent of K-12 teachers saying they are satisfied with their career choice.

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And what about the teachers who previously held other careers? A large amount of them are satisfied with the choice they’ve made: 77 percent of teachers who joined the profession within the last 10 years would highly recommend it to friends and peers — a testament to the rate of satisfaction within the profession.

Teachers attribute their career happiness to factors like having the opportunity to make a change in a child’s life, to profoundly affect the lives of students, and the sheer amount of variety that exists within teaching. While there’s always going to be a chance of risk in any career jump, the numbers from the survey are on the side of those wanting to make the change and become a teacher.

For important information about the educational debt, earnings and completion rates of students who attended this program, visit University of Phoenix's website.

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